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Zimbabwe: GMB Expecting 180,000 Metric Tons of Grain
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The Zimbabwe Guardian (London)
26 April 2008
Posted to the web 28 April 2008
Dyke Sithole
THE Grain Marketing Board (GMB) is this year expecting about 180 000 metric tonnes of maize to be delivered to its various centres dotted around the country by both commercial and communal farmers.
Speaking to the Zimbabwe Guardian at the on going Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo yesterday, the GMB Deputy General Manager responsible for marketing, Zvidzai Makwenda said the national grain procurement authority has put all measures to ensure that farmers will deliver their maize to the GMB.
Makwenda said that the national grain procurement authority has put all measures to ensure that farmers will deliver their maize to the GMB.
"We have offered farmers a fair price of ZW$22 billion per tonne which will be reviewed from time to time. Apart from that, we have also put in place a number of incentives for farmers who deliver their crop earlier. We will pay instant cash for the first five tones delivered and bank transfers for the rest of the amount," said Makwenda.
He warned private grain buyers from buying maize illegally from farmers.
"We have received disturbing reports that some unscrupulous private buyers are cheating farmers by offering ridiculous prices to farmers who are desperately in need of cash to pay school fees.
"I wish to state that such people risk being arrested because maize is a controlled commodity," warned Makwenda.
The GMB boss also revealed the government has procured all seeds for winter crops such as wheat whose planting season starts next week.
"As I speak with you right now, 80 000 tonnes of wheat seed has been distributed to most seed houses in the country. There is more than enough seed in the country and I am advising farmers to go and buy the seed now," he said.
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The country is expecting about 200 000 tonnes of wheat this season.
The output is also expected to see the availability of bread in shops improve.
In the past few months, bakeries have been facing serious wheat problems that have led to acute shortages of bread and other wheat products in retail outlets across the country.
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